Developers now ensuring projects connected to mass transit options

Developers across the UAE have started working on incorporating mass transit systems into their mega developments to help communities avoid traffic snarls.

“In Dubai you would have seen in the past 24 months that there are congested roads,” Abdulla Mohammed Rafia, Assistant Director-General for Engineering and Planning Sector, Dubai Municipality, had said.

“We don’t want a future Dubai that is congested. We can’t have the Metro line go to every house, but we need to set some policies to relieve us from the traffic jams that we have now,” he stated.

# Dh6bn Bluewaters Island

In fact, the latest project to get a new mode of transportation is the Dh6-billion Bluewaters Island, which will house Dubai Eye, the world’s largest 210-metre Ferris Wheel, which will have a Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system.

Construction work on the project is on full scale, with the giant A-frames of the Ferris wheel already in place.

As to building the transportation network, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) awarded the contract for the entrances of the island, which will cost Dh475 million.

As per the transport network plan released by the RTA, four lanes are dedicated to vehicles while two lanes are dedicated to PRT which will ease mobility of visitors connecting the island to Nakheel Harbour Metro Station.

Meraas has not yet responded to questions sent by Emirates 24|7 on PRT.

# Dh25bn Villages in Dubai South

The Dh25-billion The Villages project in Dubai South, formerly called Dubai World Central, which will have 20,000 residential units, is also planning to connect the project to Dubai Metro and even building a tram network.

“We are looking at connecting the community with Dubai Metro lines and we are even looking at building a tram network which is part of our sustainability plan,” Mohammed Al Awadhi, Vice-President, Real Estate, Dubai South, told Emirates 24|7 during Cityscape Global 2015.

Being built as a ‘future city’ of Dubai, the Dh35-billion Mall of the World development is already working on integrating public transport systems.

“The master plan is being re-engineered to integrate public transport systems in the form of Metro, tram, buses, water transport, etc., to ease traffic within and outside the development.” Morgan Parker, Chief Operating Officer of Sufouh Development, told this website during Cityscape Global 2015.

The new plan includes three shopping malls, residential, commercial and leisure districts.

The Dh30-billion Desert Rose master development, being built by Dubai Municipality, will have a seven kilometre light rail system that will be linked to Dubai Metro Green Line.

In January 2015, this website reported that the new ‘satellite city’, located between Al Ruwaya and Al Aweer areas across the Emirates Road, will cover an area of 4,000 hectares and house 160,000 inhabitants on completion.

The plan to build the ‘smart sustainable city’ was approved by the government in May 2014, with the design being inspired by the desert flower.